Legacy
by Fractured Fantasies
Summary: A child born to a legacy of terror and destruction. Another heroism and valour. 30 years after the fight against Hiltz, rumblings of war from the isolationist nation of Zenebas begin to stir, threatening both the Empire and Republic. With the heroes of old scattered or broken a new generation is forced to fight.
1. Chapter 1

_ZAC 2112._

Glowing blue eyes peeked out from a black, draconian face, peering inquisitively at the bundle lying in the cradle that was making so much noise. Leaning in it sniffed delicately, unmoving as a tiny hand reached out and grasped the end of its nose. At the contact the crying stopped as bright cerulean eyes looked up at the towering creature, watching as it cocked its head slightly to one side, as if it was unsure of what to make of this small, new being. It huffed softly, accepting the touch of the baby without objection and continued its silent observation, its attention finally shifting when a mildly amused chuckle came from the doorway. A man leaned against the door frame, watching the interaction between organoid and infant.

Shadow straightened up and took a step back as Raven quietly crossed the room and stood on the other side of the cot a moment before picking the baby up. Cradled in his arms, little chubby fingers wrapped around one of his own and the child let out a bubbling gurgle.

 _His_ child.

Almost a decade removed from the desperate battle against Hiltz and it still surprised him on occasion just how much his life had changed. Both the Empire and Republic had quietly absolved him of the crimes he had previously committed as reward for his part in bringing an end to the deathsaurer's rampage, on the condition he disappear. Not that they could have done anything to stop him if he chose differently, but he had discovered that he was tired of fighting and agreed to the terms. Officially he had been KIA, and with all the chaos that happened during the final fight it was an easy enough lie to sell to anyone who wasn't there that might have thought to ask.

Reese had stayed with him, and over time he had slowly opened up and admitted the growing feelings he had for her. While Specular and Shadow were initially at odds with each other, eventually the two organoids slipped into a comfortable companionship alongside their masters. After months of wandering aimlessly they had eventually settled at an isolated oasis in the middle of the desert in the southern part of the Republic. With the closest colony being at least a week's travel and the fearsome sight of the Geno Breaker to deter any would-be visitors, it seemed like the perfect place to be left alone and start over. With a cabin nestled within the trees that surrounded the the small oasis they lived a modest and relatively undisturbed life.

And now he, of all people, was a parent. The very idea was simultaneously exciting and terrifying in equal measure.

He lightly traced a finger over the marking under his daughter's eye that was identical to his own, unable to help but wonder if the sins of the father would be passed down. He wouldn't deny he had done a lot of terrible things in his youth, things that he regretted, especially now that he had a family of his own. No doubt a lot of broken homes had been left in the wake of the destruction he had caused, and more than a few people out there who would love a shot at revenge if they could get the chance.

He was broken out of his contemplation by an inquisitive rumble from Shadow, finding the organoid staring at him curiously.

"No matter what happens, I want you to always keep her safe, Shadow."

Shadow looked at Raven then back to the baby, his eyes seeming to dim a little as if he were narrowing them in deliberation. Was he really being charged with the welfare of this soft, pinkish creature? Again he leaned in closer, gently nudging at the tiny hand that once again reached for his snout. While Raven appeared stoic, Shadow could sense just how much the infant meant to the man, and what was important to Raven was important to Shadow.

When Shadow made low rumbling noise of agreement the smallest of smiles played over Raven's face. Few things on Zi were as strong as the loyalty from an organoid. He would teach his daughter everything he knew to make her strong to face whatever the future may bring, and not only would she survive, she would thrive...

* * *

ZAC 2128.

A soft breeze blew across the surface of the modest lagoon, taking the bite from the last of the early evening desert heat. Shadow was lazily stretched out at the foot of a large tree under the shade of its thick branches with a slim girl leaning against his side. In her hands was a book about zoids that she studied intently. It listed dozens of different kinds from both the Empire and Republic, their abilities, strengths, and flaws. Looking up from the pages her gaze fell onto the imposing scarlet form of the Geno Breaker, it's bulk covered by several camouflaged canvases to hide it from any potential sky high eyes. It truly was one of a kind; aside from the monstrous Deathsaurer, none of the many books she had read over the years had made mention of anything that remotely resembled it.

When she was little she hadn't thought much about the origins of the fearsome war machine. The only thing that had mattered was when her father would sit her on his lap and showed her what piloting a zoid was all about, and even letting her try her hand at controlling it under his watchful eye. As she got older her mother got involved, using her Ancient Zodian powers to project targets into her mind's eye for mock battles. These 'games' grew larger and more complex as they progressed with the help of Specular, amplifying Reese's abilities to conjure bigger and harder obstacles to overcome. The fact that these exercises were feeling increasingly real had started to become a point of concern for her. She often wondered why her parents were so intent on teaching her how to fight, and had even started to question them about it.

 _There are some people in the world that can't be reasoned or bargained with. They're callous and uncaring in the harm they cause to others, and sometimes they even enjoy it_ , Raven had said, his gaze averting from the questioning eyes of his child to stare out the window, haunted as he remembered his own past. _There might come a day where you could run into someone like that, and you'll need to be strong. Stronger than your mother. Stronger than me. Stronger than anyone who think they can take everything you care away from you_.

She never forgot his expression that day and it only raised even more questions, but he had refused to elaborate any further. Perhaps it had something to do with his dislike of going anywhere populated, preferring to avoid people as often as he possibly could. What had happened that caused him to turn into the man he was? Why was he always so wary about letting her out of his sight? And why did they have to live so far into the ass end of nowhere? Was she destined to live her life out here all alone? How she desperately wished for someone her own age to talk to...

With an irritated sigh she snapped the book closed, causing Shadow to stir. He lifted his head to peer at her and she smiled apologetically to him, reaching out and stroking the ridge above his eye. At least she had one friend out here. While Specular was friendly enough, the lithe blue organoid always held a certain... aloofness towards anyone that wasn't Reese. Shadow, while also somewhat reserved, had been close to her side for as long as she could remember. Why her father's organoid decided it preferred her company over his she didn't know, but she certainly wasn't going to reject Shadow's companionship.

 _Cayla_ , Reese's voice filled her head, accompanied by the strange yet familiar sensation of her mother reaching out to her. _Go wash up, it's time for dinner_.

"Come on, Shadow," she said as she got up and brushed away any dirt from the back of her pants. "It's chow time."

He rose up from his spot and allowed the willowy teen to climb onto his back, unmoving until she had a firm grip before spreading his wings and glided over the spring, landing in front a modest cabin.

From the far side of the oasis two figures hidden in the undergrowth watched the girl and the ebon coloured organoid disappear inside. After months of searching they had finally found their target. Carefully they packed up their gear and fell back to where a pair of high speed zoids were waiting. Setting off once they had strapped themselves in, one opened up a secure link to his unit commander.

"Targets confirmed," he stated. "Making our way to the rendezvous point to await further orders."

"Affirmative. The unit will meet you at the co-ordinates."

When they got to their destination they were met by the sight of almost two dozen zoids, a foreign flag emblazoned on the left shoulder of each unit. The one who had made contact climbed out of his zoid, approaching someone who was clearly the commander and snapped off a salute, then delivered a detailed report when prompted.

"Everything is ready, we move at 2300 hours," the commander said.

"Understood, Sir. For the glory of Zenebas!"

The commander dismissed his subordinate and climbed into his zoid. Their strike would be the first of many that would herald the looming invasion. Once they neutralised the greatest defenders of both the Republic and the Empire then finally the entire continent could be unified under Zenebas' rule...

The silent peace of the desert was shattered by an ungodly explosion, the night sky coming alight in a fiery orange glow. Several more followed in a volley and the scent of smoke and spent artillery permeated the air. Raven burst through the door to an all too familiar scene, but this time he wasn't the one instigating the attack. With Shadow hot on his heels he sprinted toward the Geno Breaker, the few seconds it took for its systems to warm up feeling like an eternity. Confusion and anger surged through him as he questioned who was stupid enough to come all this way in some vain attempt to take him out. They obviously had no idea who they were dealing with, but they would, and by then it would be far too late.

"Shadow!"

At Raven's call the organoid unfurled his wings and shot off into the sky with a raspy battle cry, his form engulfed in a bright light as he merged with the Geno Breaker's core. Its eyes flashed an electric blue and it roared ferociously, it had been too long since it had last seen battle and was eager to flex its strength. With only the one zoid between them, all Reese could do was look on as the scarlet tyrannosaur charged into the fight, loathing the sense of helplessness she felt. The enemy emerged from the darkness, their strikes too precise to be simple bandits, but their zoids were neither Imperial or Republic. Who were these people, and why were they attacking?

"Dad!"

Cayla went to move past her mother, only to have Reese catch her by the arm and Specular obstructing her path. Desperately she struggled to break free but Reese was stronger than she appeared, managing to keep her daughter from running into the midst of the chaos.

"There's nothing you can do to help him," Reese said sternly, trying her best not to let on just how scared she actually felt. While Raven was putting up a good fight, he hadn't been in a real battle for decades, and these zoids were like nothing she'd ever seen before. They fought with a strength and ferocity as if each had its own organoid partner, but the only ones she could sense were Shadow and Specular. Abruptly one of the shells hit too close to home. Despite Specular doing her best to shield them, all three were violently thrown from the force of the shockwave.

Within the Geno Breaker Raven snarled viciously, launching a barrage of missiles at the offending zoid that had dared harm his family. He fought to keep his frustrations from clouding his judgement, but there was no denying the fact that his attention was successfully divided. Having to keep a conscious effort to be aware of where Reese and Cayla were he couldn't fight as effectively as he was capable of and his enemy knew this, keeping him constantly on the defensive. To make matters worse, Shadow was reaching his limit on how long he could stay fused with the Geno Breaker's core. The situation was becoming dire.

From the corner of his eye he saw a movement of blue, Specular was by Reese's side and doing her best to protect her mistress. There was still no sign of his daughter though, and it played on his mind.

"Shadow, find Cayla and get as far from here as you can. If my hunch is right about these bastards then someone needs to know about them." Shadow tried to make a reluctant noise of protest, but Raven wasn't having any of it. "Do as I say! There's no time to argue."

With a conflicted roar the organoid released its fusion with the core, his keen eyes easily picking out the girl's motionless form from the air and promptly landed. Leaning over he nudged her with his nose, the only response a small moan; she was alive. Unconscious and injured, but alive. Straightening up to his full height the plates along his chest and underbelly burst open, snaking cables rapidly enveloping the willowy teen and pulling her into the armoured safety of his body. Spreading his wings wide with a snap he spared only a seconds glance at Reese and Specular before taking off into the night sky.

As Reese leaned up against Specular she understood what Shadow was doing, it had been something she and Raven had discussed more than once. Looking into the golden eyes of her concerned organoid she smiled, at least now they could finally help Raven and together they would fight to the last, buying Shadow as much time as possible so he could put in as much distance as he was able. Without a word being said, Specular took Reese within herself and then rocketed towards the Geno Breaker where the three of them would make their last stand.

Shadow flew as fast as his wings would carry him across the endless desert with only one destination in mind, toward the first person who had ever been able to win Raven's respect. He pushed himself to his absolute limit, unsure of just how long the journey took him until he finally saw it, a reprieve from the ocean of sand.

Wind Colony.

* * *

 _Hey there!_

 _I've had this idea rattling around for a while and have decided to finally sit down and get it down while I attempt to pull my other zoids fic back together (Vendetta under the pen name Thoughts In Chaos, if anyone is interested). While predominantly this is set in the Chaotic Century anime time line, I will be taking a fair amount of creative license by incorporating aspects from the Battle Story, manga and a few other things on the wikia I found interesting._

 _Now with the Zoids fandom here being the small niche that it is, if you could be so kind as to review it would really make my day :)_


	2. Chapter 2

It was a busy day in Wind Colony's market as the annual harvest had just begun. Local children raced around a modest fountain that was the centrepiece of the square while several stalls lined opposite sides, the sound of friendly hawking and haggling filling the air. The usually quiet restaurant was packed with locals and visitors alike; some were labourers that followed the seasonal work, while others being curious tourists come to see the village where the great hero, Van Flyheight, had been born and raised.

A blond headed boy headed towards one of several stalls offering fresh produce, scooting around an elderly couple who were scrutinising several tomatoes. His dark eyes had already locked onto his mid morning prize and plucked a few of the biggest, juiciest papayas on offer. While the vendor weighed up the fruit and bagged it he fished some money out of his pocket, making small talk as the merchant rang up the price. Moving away he found a spot on a low wall and hopped up, getting himself comfortable then pulled out a pocket knife before reaching into the paper bag and pulled out a fruit. The sharp blade easily sliced through the skin and orange flesh as he cut out a wedge, scraping it free of seeds before taking that first, juicy bite. He sighed in contentment at the simple pleasure; nothing beat the taste of a good papaya after a morning full of chores.

While he ate be began to debate what to do with the rest of his day now that he was free of his usual obligations. There we some ruins not far from the village that he had been wanting to explore for some time now, but one thing or another had always seemed to pop up at the last moment to prevent him from going. He knew it was a silly idea, but maybe, just maybe, one day he could find an organoid in one, just like his father had. Finishing up his snack he grabbed the bag and headed off, his mind made up. He'd make a quick stop at home to grab his pack and hover board, then head out to see what he could find. Probably nothing, but he'd never know until he tried.

With his trusty rucksack strapped over his shoulders and the control for his board in hand he set off, sand and dust curling in the air as he sped out of town. Yet once again life deemed he would not get to his intended destination, for it had a much grander adventure in mind.

When a something passed him he looked up to see a large black form descending from the sky with startling speed. Quickly he changed direction and gave chase, wondering just what the mystery object was. He didn't have to wait long and came to an abrupt halt as the ground dully shook with the impact of the creature's landing, its feet leaving shallow imprints in the ground beneath it from the force. He stared wide eyed at the sight in front of him, remembering the stories of his father's most dangerous rival and his black organoid. Could this really be that very same one?

"Shadow?" he said carefully, wary of what this appearance could possibly mean. "You're him, aren't you?"

Shadow stared at the young human in front of him, wondering just how he knew his name. His appearance leant him an air of familiarity; he strongly resembled Flyheight in many ways, but in others reminded the organoid of the Zoidian girl. Could this boy be their progeny? It wasn't outside the realm of possibility; this is where Van grew up, so it was reasonable to guess he would start a family here. Utterly exhausted and in desperate need of rest, Shadow found himself with little choice but to place the immediate welfare of his charge and himself at the mercy of this human.

As if the surprise of his arrival wasn't enough for the day, the boy looked on as the organoid rose to his full height and opened the armoured panels along his body. When the mass of cables retreated he found himself staring at the limp body of a girl roughly his own age. It was clear she had been hurt, and apparently Shadow expected him to do something about it. He simply stood there a moment, unsure of how to proceed, but his hesitation only aggravated the organoid. Faster than he thought possible Shadow was suddenly behind him, roughly head-butting him forward.

"Hey!" the young man protested. "Cut it out."

Shadow gave a low growl of warning. He was not in the mood to be trifled with and this human would help him if it wanted to or not.

With a grumble he leaned down to take a closer look to appease the dragonoid and wondered about what he should do. He wished he had Zeke with him to even things out, but the silver organoid was with his father right now, playing the role of an advisor to General Herman. Slipping his pack from his shoulders the boy dumped its contents onto the ground; snacks, a few tools, a length of rope and a large canteen of water. Nothing of help that he could use. Absently he scratched at the thick red mark along his cheek while trying to think of a solution; the old priest used to be an army doctor, surely he could help. But would Shadow let him leave? It didn't seem like the most sociable creature.

"I have to go and get some help," he said, flinching a little when Shadow all but roared his disagreement. "Don't blame me, It's not like I planned for an organoid to drop out of the sky today! Now let me go and get the priest, he knows how to deal with this sort of thing."

Shadow didn't move while he weighed his options, realising that yet again he realistically didn't have any. With another growl he reluctantly stepped aside and allowed the boy to pass.

He heaved a sigh of relief, half expecting Shadow to refuse the idea of letting him go. Picking up his board he took a few steps before looking over his shoulder to find the organoid standing over the girl; it was clear to him that this person was of great importance to Shadow. For some reason he felt the need to give the creature what little reassurance he could. "I'll be back as soon as I can, you'll see."

Shadow just snarled at him.

Getting the hint from the antisocial organoid he took off as fast as he could, wondering exactly how he was going to break the news to his mother...

* * *

"Are you absolutely sure its him?"

"Shadow is hardly something you forget, Van."

"Any sign of Raven?"

"No, none at all."

The image of Van Flyheight leaned back in his chair, a finger absently tapping at the base of his chin while deep in thought. It certainly wasn't every day that he learned that not only did his arch-rival's organoid show up in his home town, but it had bought a friend with him that wasn't its master. Not to mention that Shadow was actually being civil about the whole thing, or at least as civil as the ebony creature could be. From the description Fiona had given him, it was obvious to Van that the girl was Raven's own child. The real question was what had happened, and why had Shadow turned up in the Wind Colony of all places?

"Has she woken up yet?"

Fiona shook her head. "Still asleep."

"So much for getting some answers." He was silent for a moment more before making up his mind. "I know I don't have to tell you, but I need to say it anyway; watch yourself around Shadow. Zeke and I will be home as soon as we can."

Her crimson eyes softened as she smiled, relieved with his decision. Van had been away for over a month so she missed him terribly, and Shadow's appearance had left her uneasy, despite the organoid having shown no signs of hostility. Yet.

"You don't need to worry, I don't think he's a threat. Honestly, I think he came looking for help."

"What could have possibly happened that was too much for even Raven to handle?"

"I don't know, but the sooner you get here the sooner we can start figuring it out."

"You're right," he nodded. "Hopefully it shouldn't be more than a few days if I really push the liger."

They said their goodbyes and Fiona ended the call, wondering what was next. She sensed that something terrible must have happened for Shadow to come seeking sanctuary with Van, but until the girl he had arrived with woke up the event would remain a mystery. With a small sigh she headed into the kitchen, deciding to get a start on dinner since there was nothing more she could do in the mean time.

With his mother busy the boy slipped into the spare bedroom, unable to help his fascination with the two unexpected guests. Shadow had curled himself up on the floor at the foot of the bed, finally taking the chance to rest after his long journey. A film of dust clung to him, giving his black coloured plates a grey tone as a testament to just how far he had travelled. He didn't dare disturb the organoid, unsure as to how it would react to his presence. He doubted it would hurt him, but at the same time there was nothing wrong treating Shadow with a healthy dose of caution.

Creeping past he sidled along the edge of the bed, peering at the sleeping girl. She had more than a few scrapes and bruises, a few minor burns and a swollen wrist, most likely sprained. The priest had assured them both that it was as serious as the injuries went and would heal if given a few days of quiet rest. His curiosity had him almost fit to burst; who was she? What had happened? Her brow furrowed in her sleep as she shifted a little with a small, troubled noise. Without thinking he reached out to take her hand, as if to somehow reassure her that everything was going to be alright.

 _Fire. The choking scent of smoke. The deafening boom of heavy weapons. Unfamiliar, hostile zoids erupting through the darkness. A red tyrannosaur firing a brilliant, blue white light, illuminating the the night like daylight. A sudden force throwing everything on its head and torn earth rushing up to greet him. There was a painful ringing in his ears as the world started to fade. A large black figure with a sense of familiarity stood over him. The sense of something firm and cold snaking around him just as the darkness descended._

As if he had just received a shock, he pulled his hand back the moment she opened her eyes. Confused chaos immediately followed as she blindly struck out at him with a shriek, alerting the resting organoid. Shadow snaked to his feet and whipped his tail over the bed, sending the young man across the room. Planting himself firmly between the two he roared just as Fiona burst through the door. A moan to her left caught her attention, finding her son slumped against the wall. Hurriedly she bent down to check on him.

"Kai! What happened?"

"Ow," he groaned, cradling his chest with one arm while slowly getting to his feet. "That definitely hurt."

"What's going on in here?" she demanded while putting herself between her son and Shadow, his tail flicking tersely from side to side as a sign of his clear agitation, and was surprised to hear a voice come from behind the organoid.

"Where am I?"

Shadow's attention immediately shifted when a hand came to rest on his side, finding Cayla staring warily at the two people on the other side of the room. "Who are you people? Where's my dad?"

Fiona could hear the fear and confusion, and understood what it was like to wake up in unfamiliar surroundings. Keeping a watchful eye on Shadow she took a slow, cautious step forward, only to stop when he growled.

"My name is Fiona, and this is my son, Kai," she began. "You're in the Wind Colony."

The Wind Colony? That was a long way from the oasis that was home.

 _Home..._

"Where are my parents?"

"I don't know," she replied. "Kai found you and Shadow on the outskirts of the village. There was no-one else." A tremor ran through the teen, visibly shaken by the news. As much as she'd like to push her own questions, Fiona refrained for the time being. There would be plenty of time for that once Van got home. "Take some time to collect yourself, and we'll be waiting out here when you're ready. There's a fresh set of clothes on the chair over there for you."

They left their guests alone, Fiona shutting the door behind her before turning to her son. "And just what were you even doing in there? I thought I told you to stay out for the time being, Shadow is not a creature to take lightly."

"I know," he replied, looking sheepish. The expression soon changed as he recalled the odd encounter. "Mum, listen. Something strange happened before she woke up."

"Strange in what way?"

"I don't know, but it was weird. It looked like she was having some sort of nightmare, so I touched her hand. You know, like a comfort thing? The next second I'm seeing all this weird stuff, like I was watching her dream."

Fiona stayed quiet, but the story gave weight to her suspicions about the girl's parentage. Raven's facial markings and his organoid coupled with a bizarre mental power? That part had to have come from Reese, she was sure of it...

Cayla stood at the door for a long minute before staring down at her hands that continued to shake. Something strange had happened in the last moments of that horrible memory, flashes of a life full of people and places she didn't know and had never seen. It had been confusing, disorienting. She had seen a silver organoid and a blue Blade Liger. A man with dark hair and eyes to match who possessed an easy smile. That blond woman she had just met. Cities and towns she'd only read about in books; Gugalos, Sand Colony, Valley of Heroes, New Helic and more. What had that been? What did it even mean?

She clenched open palms into tight fists and took a deep breath, letting it out in a slow exhale. _Be strong_ , she reminded herself. _Just stick to what Dad taught you and be strong_.

When Shadow made a small noise she turned to him to find his large head slightly tilted to one side. "Why did you bring us here?" she wondered aloud, looking at the dust that covered him. "Just how far did we go?" Unable to give an answer he huffed softly, his eyes dimming when she placed her hand on his nose, a motion that gave them both a small measure of comfort in the uncertainty that they found themselves in. Whatever happened, at least they had each other.

With little else to be done about the current situation she decided to change and looked over the clothes that had been left out. Catching sight of a mirror set above an old dresser she stopped and scrutinised the reflection staring back at her. There was a fine cut that ran across the bridge of her nose and a bruise that had bloomed over her right cheek. Her arms were marked with similar abrasions and a deep ache resided in her left wrist which had been firmly bandaged. Considered what had happened, she guessed she should be grateful that it hadn't been much worse.

After getting dressed Cayla crossed the room and stared momentarily at the doorknob, unsure if she was ready to walk out there. With an encouraging rumble from Shadow she steeled herself and reached out for it, two words running through her head like a mantra.

 _Be strong..._


	3. Chapter 3

"Here."

Cayla stared suspiciously at the glass Fiona set down next to an earthenware jug on the table, the sight of water making her realise just how thirsty she was, but still cautious about the situation she had found herself in. Shadow stood at her side, alert and watchful as he eyed Fiona intently. He already had been forced to leave Raven behind, Shadow would not fail the promise made to his master and companion sixteen years a go.

"Can you tell us your name?"

"Cayla," she replied quietly, rolling the now empty glass between her hands while eyeing the pitcher.

Leaning over Fiona pushed it closer in an unspoken invitation for the girl to help herself. "Can you tell me where you've come from?"

She was silent for a moment, figuring out the rough direction that Shadow would have had to travel to get them here. "The desert, somewhere down south."

There wasn't much down that way if Fiona recollected her geology correctly. A few scattered villages here and there but little else. It made sense to her that Raven and Reese would have found somewhere as isolated as possible to settle down.

"Here you go," Kai announced as he appeared from the kitchen, placing a small plate in front of her with a ham and cheese sandwich that had been cut in half. "I figured you must be hungry, but dinner isn't ready yet." She eyed the food with the same amount of distrust as the water had received but the low rumble of her stomach betrayed her silence. "It's OK, I'm not trying to poison you or anything."

Shadow was not amused with the boy's quip, his low, disapproving rumble indicating as much.

"Is he always so friendly?" he asked warily. His ribs still stung smartly from earlier.

"Shadow is just... protective," Cayla replied.

"That's one way of putting it," he grumbled.

"Can you tell me anything that happen to you?" Fiona pressed while giving her son a subtle look that seemed to go completely over the boy's head. He was a lot like his father at the same age...

"There were zoids. Lots of them," the girl replied, the sound of the vivid memories still ringing freshly in her ears. "There were so many. Dad was trying his best, but they were beginning to overwhelm the Geno Breaker. Then something exploded... I don't remember anything after that."

"You're dad is _Raven_?" Kai blurted out in surprise.

"Kai..."

The warning tone in his mother's voice was a familiar one and he promptly fell into silence; the last thing he wanted was another lecture. But still, Raven? Easily the strongest opponent his father had ever faced, his only clear cut victory being when the Blade Liger had destroyed the first Geno Saurer. While the two had clashed several times in their youth, even Van had to admit that dumb luck had played a part in the majority of encounters that didn't lead him to being vaporised in some form or fashion. With such common knowledge of the absolute terror Raven had been, her small, curious question took them both by surprise.

"Who's Raven?"

* * *

Even after several days, the sight of Kai's new friend and the large black organoid that followed them was a curious one. More than a few stares followed the trio as he led Cayla around the village and showing her the main points of interest. It left her feeling uncomfortable, having gone from an all but completely isolated upbringing to the centre of attention within the space of a couple of days was an experience she would have quite happily forfeited if given the choice.

Eventually they headed out of the small town and into the open fields. In the distance large windmills rotated steadily as they made the most of the near constant wind that the colony was named for, drawing up water from a reservoir deep underground so the farmland around it had a constant supply for irrigation. High on the hill was the local graveyard and atop the crest sat an old Command Wolf keeping vigilance over the tombstone that rested between its paws.

"That's my grandfather," Kai said, leading them up the grassy knoll toward the monument. "Dad said he and Zeke died protecting the village from the Imperial army when he was just a little kid."

"Zeke?"

"The Command Wolf," he replied. "That's its name. Dad named his organoid after it."

Cayla gave a cursory glance at the headstone, but what really held her attention was the long defunct zoid. Even after decades of inactivity it appeared to be well looked after. A sign of respect for Dan Flyheight's sacrifice all those years a go.

"What's that strange noise?"

"You hear it too?" he asked with surprise. "I don't know why, but every time I come up here there's a sound. I'm positive that its coming from Zeke. No-one believes me though. They all think that he's dead, but he's not. He's just... resting." They were silent for a time before he finally spoke again, sounding troubled. "Something isn't right about it today. It doesn't sound like it usually does and never as loud. There's a sense of desperation to it."

An unnatural silence had descended; no bird songs, no faint rustle of small animals through the grass, not even the dull drone of insects. Just the soft rustle of leaves in the warm breeze. Shadow took a step forward where the town was laid out below, then another, focused on something beyond the range of human sight. His tail flicked sharply as the foreign stillness grew.

"Do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Kai stood still for a moment, wondering just what it was that was supposedly out of place, then shook his head. "I don't hear anything."

"Exactly. Something's wrong."

A second later something exploded on the far side of the village, smoke and dust blooming high into the noon day sky. The screams of the villagers below were faint but carried their terror and confusion clear enough. Shadow whipped around and roared at the resting zoid, his wings spread as he took to the sky in a bright flash of light before plummeting into the slumbering wolf. The reignited core thrummed with power, returning long dead systems to life and the zoid stood tall for the first time in over forty years. Lowering its head the canopy opened as it gave voice to an eager growl. The pair of teenagers needed little encouragement with Cayla being the faster of the two and claiming the pilot's seat.

"How come you get to pilot?" Kai grumbled as he squeezed into the tight space behind. Zeke was his granddad's zoid after all.

"Do you even know how?"

Did he know how? His dad was Van Flyheight, of course he knew!

"Do _you_?"

For the first time since arriving in the colony Cayla smirked as Zeke was only too eager to respond to the commands, nimbly weaving through trees and tombstones before reaching the road and took off running. As they came in range a small screen flicked to life to display several scorpion type zoids under the watch of a lion type. Neither of the two designs looked at all familiar with anything produced by either Guylos or the Republic, and each one bared the same crest as those that had attacked the oasis.

Thumbing the switch on the controls the double beam cannon fired, nailing the closest scorpion squarely in its side. Stunned by the unexpected attack it began to turn, bringing up its claws in an effort to protect the cockpit. Several more bolts struck at the joints of its legs, throwing it off balance and collapsing as they were destroyed.

"Lucky shot."

"Oh really?"

Zeke dodged from side to side as three more scorpions came at them, the pulse beam guns on the end of their tails firing rapidly. Two broke away to either side as the third charged straight at them, trying to catch the wolf in a pincer movement.

"Come on, old boy," Cayla muttered to the zoid. "Tell me you still have some gas in those tanks."

"What are you doing?" Kai asked at her small noise of triumph. "Smoke dischargers?"

"They can't hit what the can't see," she replied.

"Doesn't that work both ways?"

"Be quiet."

A thick smoke began to plume from the back of the wolf, pushed along by the wind and quickly obscured the battlefield. Jerking to the right Zeke stalked the first scorpion, it's pilot having brought his zoid to a stop at the unexpected smoke screen. Warily it swayed back and forth on its skittery legs, its tail curled up high over its body and one claw partially protecting the cockpit like a shield. An ominous snarl caused the scorpion to swing to its left as a dark grey paw, next to invisible in the murky vapour, swiped viciously at its legs causing the enemy to stumble before dodging a claw that snapped at them. Fangs came into play as they bit deeply into a segment near the base of its tail, crushing gears and circuitry while dragging the smaller zoid down and unloading several rounds of the cannon along its back, taking it out of commission.

Several shots pierced the smoke, kicking up sand as they went wide, the pilot continuing to fire furiously while hoping to get lucky. Zeke double backed and began circling around, the flashing muzzle making it easy to pinpoint its prey.

"Where are you?" The pilot snarled as he continued with the spray and pray technique. "Stop hiding like a coward and fight me like a man."

"That's rich," Kai snorted, "coming from someone who was bombarding defenceless villagers just minutes earlier."

He grunted as a heavy weight landed on his zoid's back, his machine struggling to support the extra weight. Looking up with panic at the sight of Zeke so close he flailed wildly with the controls and tried to shake his attacker off, the tail swinging in hard in an attempt to dislodge the white wolf. Again it bit at the tail, jaws crushing the tip as it jumped clear and a tug of war broke out as the invader tried to escape. Something eventually had to give as Zeke reared up on his hind legs and came back down again with a flick of his head, the motion causing a wave of momentum to rattle the scorpion and the damaged tail tore away from the body under the stress. With a few well place bolts from Zeke's cannons, it too was out of the fight.

"How did you learn to fight like this?" Kai asked as the smoke began to lift.

"My dad," Cayla answered simply. "He's the best."

"Is not," Kai objected.

"Is too."

Both Zeke and Shadow rumbled a growl, bringing the attention back to the task at hand and narrowly avoiding an incoming volley from the remaining scorpion. The 'my dad is better than yours' argument would have to be settled later.

Zeke charged once again, easily weaving back and forth as explosions rocked the ground around it. The enemy pilot couldn't understand it; that Command Wolf was old, one of the first models the Republic had ever produced, there was no way it should be _that_ fast and agile. As the gap between them closed rapidly he panicked, firing wildly while trying to retreat back to his commander. With the sun at its back the wolf leapt high, leaving the pilot momentarily blinded. Emergency systems hollerred under the merciless barrage that peppered the scorpion before forty five tons came crashing down on top of it. Savagely Zeke clawed through the enemy's armour before it collapsed into a systems freeze.

"Not bad. It's a shame you're on the wrong side."

The communication screen popped up in the right hand corner of Zeke's display, showing the surprised expression of the lion commander when he finally saw the face of his opposition. "What? My men got trounced by a mere _girl_?"

"Blow me, gramps."

"You're a little spitfire, I'll give you that." He closed his eyes a moment with a mildly amused smirk at the immature insult. "But play time is now over."

"That zoid," Kai murmured. "It feels... different from the others. Like it has an organoid."

"So you can sense the core? Interesting," he mused. "You're close, kiddo, but not quite. Those Deathpions were one thing, but surely you realise that tired old zoid can't stand up to my Lidier, even with that black organoid."

"What would you even know about Shadow?" Cayla snapped.

"Enough that it ran from its master in battle, not that it mattered much in the end." A cold smirk slithered over his face as he stared the two down. "That oversized red zoid and the blue organoid that took its place are nothing more than a smoking pile of scrap by now."

The Geno Breaker. Specular. Her parents... Destroyed?

"Liar." The whisper was harsh in the silence of the Command Wolf's cockpit as Cayla's hands tightened around the controls, turning her knuckles white. " _Liar!_ "

With a snarl Zeke surged forward with guns blazing and the Lidier commander sneered; he appeared to have struck a nerve. The lion growled deeply in anticipation as the wolf hurtled headlong towards it, the gap between them closing at a rapid pace, and easily sidestepped the charging zoid at the last second. Its tail whipped out, the blades lashing Zeke's side and leaving gouges in the armour. The wolf howled and stumbled, but refused to go down. It tried to keep pace with its enemy, but the Lidier always seemed to be two moves ahead. It was faster and more agile, its weapons packing more of a punch, dancing out of the way one second before attacking in another. Despite its best efforts it was clear the Command Wolf was outmatched.

 _So fast. How am I supposed to keep up?_

Lidier opened fire with its rapid beam cannon as it came at them, several rounds hitting home as the injured wolf tried its best to evade, ramming hard into Zeke's damaged side and sending it end over end before it crashed into the sand.

"Come on, you gotta get up," Kai pleaded as Cayla jerked at the controls, willing the fallen wolf to find its feet. Zeke's body shuddered trying to comply as sparks arced from exposed and damaged parts, unwilling to admit defeat, only to fail and collapse once again. Angry and frustrated that there was nothing he could do to protect his home his attention turned towards the Lidier. "What do you even want?"

"Why else would someone come to this little backwater colony? The great hero, Van Flyheight. But since he obviously isn't here I guess I'll just have to settle for you two brats instead."

Zeke's sensors suddenly pinged, picking up an object moving at great speed and heading directly towards them. The Lidier moved to the side as the now famous Blade Liger charged from behind with blades deployed, leaving the prone Command Wolf the only thing in its path. With only feet to spare it leapt, clearing the fallen zoid with ease, turning sharply and putting itself between the invader and everything that was precious to its pilot.

"Be careful what you wish for, pal. You might just get it..."

* * *

 _For those of you who are unaware, the manga deviates from the anime (or maybe that should be the other way around since the manga came first) quite a bit. In the beginning Zeke the Command Wolf is sitting behind Dan's grave instead of having been completely destroyed using the Ragnarok Fang ability during Raven's flashback episode in Chaotic Century/Guardian Force. The manga starts off by Van actually getting to use big Zeke with the help of little Zeke and Fiona to fight off Raven who had shown up to destroy Wind Colony before he eventually finds the Shield Liger, Ceasar._

 _I just thought using him here in a similar way would be kind of fun, plus work as a sort of 'starter zoid' for the beginning of the story. Besides, who doesn't love a trusty old Command Wolf?_

 _There's a site called theironbible for anyone who'd like to read said manga. It has scans of most of the volumes._


	4. Chapter 4

Smoke and dust hung cloyingly in the air as the two lions stared each other down. Lidier's tail flicked and Blade Liger roared, shattering the build up of tense suspension and hurtled headlong toward one another. Van locked the blades into place once again and the booster kicked in, the gap closing rapidly only for Lidier leap over it, Liger leaving long, deep tracks in the sand as it skidded to a halt and gave chase. For all Van's manoeuvres he couldn't seem to land a decisive blow, though to his credit the other pilot hadn't been able to inflict any significant damage either. It was fast, even faster than the Liger, and it's smaller size made it more agile. But to accommodate all that speed and dexterity its armour would have to be light. All he needed was to get in one decent hit.

Curiosity crossed the Commander's face as the Liger abruptly turned tail and ran. He gave chase, following the Republic hero deeper into the desert. "I never would've taken you for a coward, Flyheight," he sneered while letting off a few rounds from his cannons, only to have Liger evade the shots.

Van ignored the taunts and kept running until some old ruins finally came into view. If anywhere would give him an advantage in this fight, it was this place. It had started him on his life changing journey so many years a go, and he hoped it would help him out one last time. Again he pushed Liger's speed, its great claws digging into the stone as it scaled up the side and disappeared from view when he reached the top. Lidier followed without hesitation, only to find itself alone once it reached the peak.

The Commander looked around cautiously as Lidier warily stalked through the remains. In its decrepit state there were plenty of places for Flyheight to hide and ambush him from. He came to a stop several feet from the lip of a large hole which likely reached the bottom of the old structure. He was unable to see the bottom as it was engulfed in an ink-like darkness, like a giant maw hiding an ominous presence. He was starting to feel tense, having realised his error in allowing his quarry to lead him to this place instead of finishing both him and the village off when he had the chance. The only sound now was the lonely call of the wind, making it feel like the most isolated place in all of Zi. A low, unsure growl emanated from Lidier as something caught the Commander's eye below; two crimson slivers glowing in the darkness.

Too late he realised it was the silver organoid as Zeke rocketed toward him, striking the bottom of Lidier's jaw and sent it staggering back with the force of his blow. Behind him more of the roof erupted as Liger burst through it, seizing a hind leg and pulling him in, using its superior strength to slam him into the floor below. While the fortress may have been strong when it was originally constructed, the long years and elements had taken its toll. It also had not been designed to withstand two zoids battling it out inside the structure. The floor gave way as Liger pounced, riding its enemy through several storeys until they both hit the bottom with Lidier taking the brunt of the fall.

Van watched the prone zoid underneath his own for a long moment before he was satisfied that the threat was over. Zeke joined him as he climbed out of the cockpit with a flash light in hand and approached the head of Lidier. He felt around the head for an emergency switch, his fingers finally brushing over a slight depression on the underside of its mane. Finding the edge of the panel he found what he was looking for and pressed the button.

"Be ready for anything," he told Zeke as parts started to shift and the canopy began to open.

The Commander groaned as he heard the soft hiss of hydraulics and a warm, sticky sensation crept down his left temple. Bright light suddenly blinded him and he made a move for the side arm that was holstered to the side of his seat, only to be rewarded with a sharp pain when something heavy and unyielding struck his wrist hard. The light moved erratically for a moment before he was roughly hauled out of the cockpit and his arms firmly bound behind him before he was shoved uncomfortably, albeit securely, into the other seat. The last thing he felt was a great lurching surge before finally blacking out.

When Van made it back to the village he could already see people working hard to clear up the debris that the attack had caused. He allowed himself a small smile at the attitude of his home town; Wind Colony would always bounce back, no matter what was thrown at the townsfolk. The command wolf hadn't moved but he did notice that the canopy had been opened and the cockpit was now empty.

Liger stopped and came to rest on its haunches, lowering its head as two men approached it and hauled off Van's prisoner until the army arrived. After asking around a little he discovered that Fiona had retrieved the two teenagers as he led the hostile zoid off into the desert. Making it home he stepped through the small vestibule and into the moderate living room to find Fiona, and embraced her tightly with a sense of relief.

"Is everyone alright?" he asked after a moment.

"Everyone is fine, Van," she reassured him. "You showed up just in time."

He heaved a sigh of relief, when he had seen the state of his father's old zoid he hadn't been sure. If he was honest with himself he was surprised to see it was active, Zeke had spent decades on top of the hillside and hadn't moved since the day Dan died.

"It was Shadow," Fiona explained, as if anticipating the question. "He bought Zeke back the moment it all started."

"I see," he mused, his attention shifting as he spotted the two teenagers emerging from an adjoining room. Placing a soft kiss on the top of Fiona's head he finally let her go and met them half way across the living room.

"How are you feeling?" he asked Kai.

"I'm ok," the boy replied, affectionately patting Zeke as the silver organoid nudged him gently. "Though next time _I_ get to pilot."

Van couldn't help but smile a little as pride welled up inside him. He knew what Kai wanted most of all was to have his own zoid and find his own way in the world with as many adventures that he could find along the way. The boy reminded Van so much of himself at the same age.

"Thank you for defending the village and protecting so many," he said, turning to their guest. "I hate to think what would have happened otherwise."

"You're welcome," Cayla answered, though it sounded more like a question that a statement. After all the long years of training under her parents the fighting had felt natural, like she was born to it. But she was beginning to realise that her isolated upbringing had stunted her social abilities. She wasn't certain how she was expected to react, or what to say, and it made her uncomfortable. Learning to deal with people on a regular basis was going to be the real challenge.

"I'm Van," he continued in an effort to try and coax her out out of her proverbial shell and held out his hand. "It's nice to meet you."

Her gaze flicked between his outstretched palm and dark eyes. The were kind, warm; the eyes she had seen in those glimpses of memory she now knew she had shared with his son. Ultimately she faltered, her own hand curling into a tight fist by her side.

"Excuse me, I need to get some air."

Van let her go without protest, stepping aside to let the girl pass. Shadow lingered for only a second as he and Zeke stared each other down, the silver organoid shifting ever so slightly, ready to protect Kai if the situation called for it. The moment passed and Shadow left, having no interest in starting a fight.

As the tension lifted Van decided it was time to call Herman. Coupled with the story Fiona had told him about Cayla's arrival, what had happened here today was serious, and he had a feeling it was just the beginning.

* * *

The night was quiet with barely a sound to be heard. Cayla had been awake for hours, staring into the star littered sky that was beyond the window of the small bedroom. Sleep had been evasive, the implications of what the Commander had revealed had ceaselessly replayed themselves in her mind. She didn't want to believe it, but at the same time it was hard not to. His zoid carried the same insignia as the others that had attacked her home and Van had confirmed it during a call he made to a General Herman to explain what had happened; the seal of Zenebas. While not much was known about the isolationist nation, their flag at least was as recognisable as that of the Republic or the Empire.

Shadow raised his head as she slipped out from under the covers and got dressed, following as they quietly crept out of the house. They moved through the streets cautiously, being careful not to be spotted while approaching the building where the soldiers were currently being kept. A detachment of the Republican army would arrive tomorrow, Herman having seen fit to dispatch something both big and fast enough to carry back not only the prisoners but their fallen zoids as well. The Lidier was of specific interest to the General, as he seemed to trust Kai's instinct that there was something special about it compared to the others. It didn't take long for her to work out that the boy was half Zoidian, just like she was.

Momentarily she looked down at her own hands, wondering if what she was about to attempt was just a mildly dumb idea, or an overly large one. She wasn't sure what to call the reaction -flashes, maybe visions?- but it had become quickly apparent that they only happened when she touched someone. At least it appeared that it was only limited to people. The idea of picking up glimpses of peoples lives from touching anything else would drive her crazy.

Cayla quickly snapped out of her musing when the man standing guard stretched under the dim light of a bare bulb that was fixed just above the door, he was getting bored of the late night guard duty. He looked around to see nothing stirring in the quiet night while he fidgeted, his weight shifting from one foot to another. He knew he wasn't supposed to leave his post, but at the same time he had an increasing need for a bathroom. After a minute more he seemed to make up his mind, quickly dashing off to do his business and get back before the next person showed up to take his place.

As soon as he disappeared the pair made their move, near silent as they dashed toward the building and slipped inside. It wasn't exactly a jail, the town itself was too small to warrant one, but it was secure enough to hold a few people until someone of proper authority could arrive and pick up any criminals. The four grunts were sleeping, but the Commander was wide awake, his eyes shifting to the bars and stared evenly at the girl with her organoid that stood on the other side.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to keep away," he said softly so not to wake his men or alert the guard upon his inevitable return. Right now he had no interest in having this conversation interrupted. "You fought well today, handicapped as you were by that tired old wolf."

She didn't reply at first, instead choosing to watch him with a cool, stoic stare. Or was trying to at least. He could see the struggle behind her eyes warring not to give anything away, yet desperately wanting answers.

"Come now, there's no reason to be uncivilised," he reasoned as he stood up, crossing the small space and leaned up against the bars. "You obviously came in here for a reason."

"Your zoid is fast," she finally stated, "but there's no way the Geno Breaker would have fallen to you."

"I suspect you'd be correct. A single Lidier would doubtfully be a match for either your father's zoid or his talent, diminished as they were," he agreed somewhat nonchalantly before a slow, self assured smirk slipped into place. "But we both know he was up against far more than that."

"Why?" Cayla asked. "He hadn't done anything to you. He hadn't done anything to anyone."

"Is that what you think?" He chuckled, she really had no idea. "Have you never asked yourself just why your father had such a war machine?"

" _Has_ ," she corrected him vehemently while pointedly avoiding that rest of the question. "And I still think you're lying."

"What you think is of little consequence, all that matters is what is. The Geno Breaker is gone, and no amount of denial will prove otherwise."

Her hand shot forward to grip the bare skin of his wrist, the reaction as immediate as it was jarring.

 _All at once she saw everything like she was on the opposite side of that night, behind the control of a foreign zoid as the Breaker stood out in in hostile cross hairs. It fought fiercely and had taken down the majority of its attackers, but the valiant struggle was in vain. An unknown liger came onto the smoking ruins of the battlefield, heavily armed and armoured, but moved like nothing she'd ever seen. Effortlessly it dodged the ordinance aimed at it before striking, the unusually powerful gatling gun hammered through what remained of the E-Shield and tore through battered crimson armour. It closed in rapidly, avoiding the both the x-breakers and killer claws, delivering the killing blow with a large, vicious horn that protruded from the top of its head and aimed straight at the core._

 _The Breaker cried out in agony, systems going critical as it was engulfed in a burning white light. The enemy began to pull back, racing as fast as they could to escape the blast radius as it finally detonated, feeling the dull impact of the explosion that the pilot felt as Lidier stumbled a little but quickly corrected itself as it followed its unit into the desert night._

Abruptly the Commander pulled back, breaking the connection. He had no idea what she had just done, or how she had done it, but it intrigued him none the less. Just as Cayla had seen what he had witnessed that night, he had glimpsed the chaos that she had awoken too, felt her confusion and fear. A small part of him pitied her in that moment. He knew what it was like to have the illusion of young ideals shattered, to know the one you loved and idolised wasn't immortal after all.

The revelations had come in an overwhelming rush that almost felt as if she had been sucker punched. Cayla staggered back a few paces, reaching out for Shadow instinctively and found the reassurance of familiar black plates. Throwing aside all pretence of stealth she made for the door, throwing it open and into the cool desert air. Taking a few deep breaths she got her bearings enough to keep moving. Unable to unsee what she had witnessed, something dark began to stir inside her. She wanted to hurt these people, make them regret the day they even thought of stepping over the border, and burn everything they had built to the ground.

Reaching the outskirts of the village she spied the silhouettes of the broken Deathpions under the moonlight and a foreboding clarity settled over her. Looking to Shadow he stared back knowingly. She climbed up on his back and he extended his wings, taking off into the night sky. She would make them pay for what they had done, and she knew exactly where to start.


	5. Chapter 5

Van watched carefully as the four prisoners were shepherded toward a waiting transport hammerhead that had arrived with a small escort of stormsworders. The three enlisted Zenebas soldiers filed aboard, all but ignoring their Republic guard. Their commander didn't quite share the same stoic outlook as his underlings, instead appearing almost serene, causing Van to eye him suspiciously. The two stared each other down for a long moment, Van's expression giving nothing away while the other man eventually gave him a small, crooked smirk, but otherwise said nothing. The moment was broken when one of the escorting soldiers prodded him firmly with the butt of his rifle, moving the Commander up the ramp and into the waiting zoid. Dust and sand swirled wildly in the up-draft as the zoids began to lift off, causing Van to shield his eyes from the grit. It wasn't long before they were mere specks on the clear blue horizon and he turned on his heel, heading back into the village.

He took his time, watching people clear what was left of the debris from the streets while others were in the middle of repairing a house who's roof and an outer wall had been blown apart by one of the Zenebas engineered scorpions. Even in their demolished state it was clear that the deathpions were more advanced than the Republic's own guysack units, so any potential improvement they could glean from this new design could help them considerably. As Van studied them a little more a small shiver involuntarily run down his spine, it was vaguely reminiscent of the destruction Raven was capable of. A part of him wondered just why his one time rival would have taught his child to fight so fiercely in the first place. He and Reese had vanished so well that neither the Republic or the Empire had been able to keep tabs on them after the first few weeks. Although considering the amount of destruction that had been caused by both the death stinger and the true deathsaurer, it wouldn't have been difficult to see how keeping an eye on them would have been at the lower end of the priority scale.

Right now one of the most troubling things to him was Cayla and Shadow's disappearance during the night. A sense of foreboding nagged at him; if they had found a zoid by the time the two inevitably resurfaced, Van doubted that anything good would come of it. He shook his head and tried not to dwell on it too much, there was little he could do about it at any rate. If the girl was anything like either of her parents, then she would not be found until she wanted to be.

His attention shifted as Fiona called out to him. When she was close enough her hand slipped into his, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze that put him at ease.

"What happens now?"

"Herman will have them interrogated to see if this was a group acting on their own or if it's a precursor to something bigger," he replied. His free hand ran through his hair as he sighed heavily. "I seriously doubt this is the end of it. It feels like something big is coming."

"I wouldn't be surprised," she said. "Since when has anything we got tangled up in ever been simple?"

Van chuckled softly, almost ruefully. "Maybe we'll get lucky this time? A little less conflict and a lot more adventure."

"It would be nice," Fiona agreed, nodding in the direction of his father's command wolf. "For some of us more than others."

Van followed her gaze to see Kai in the shade of the fallen wolf with Zeke by his side. After some consideration after the battle with the lidier, Van had told the silver organoid that he wanted him to watch over his son from now on. It was only a matter of time before Kai made his own way in the world and Van couldn't always be there for him, so this was the best thing he could think of.

Kai had woken early and was the first to discover that their guests had vanished. He had searched high and low all around the village, but found no trace of the pair. He couldn't pin down the exact reason why their disappearance aggravated him so, only that it did. After the relative excitement of the past few days, the idea of simply falling back into the day to day routine was enough to make him even more restless than he already had been. He was sixteen years old, it was more than time for him to go out and find the adventure he craved. If only he had a zoid of his own.

Slowly his hand brushed over a large tear in the wolf's armour, the battle still so vivid in his mind's eye. Zeke had tried so hard to keep up with what Cayla had wanted the old zoid to do. He had felt the wolf's desperate desire not to fail, but it simply just wasn't able, even with its fusion with Shadow. Still, he wasn't ready to give up on the wolf. As injured as it was he could feel its energy; its need to once again roam far and wide, to serve a pilot of noble cause and help defend the innocent people of Zi.

"Do you think you can help him?" Kai asked the organoid, watching him tilt his head curiously at the request. "You resurrected the Liger from stone, I bet healing Big Zeke would be a snap in comparison."

The organoid studied the wolf. The damage it had suffered was considerable and would take the zoid some time to completely heal on its own, if at all. The recovery unit that had been sent by Herman had already left to recover the lidier, and he doubted that repairing an old, battered command wolf would get priority over securing the foreign zoids. Yet after its decades long vigil on the hill, and unfaltering desire to protect the home of its late pilot, it deserved more. With a roar Zeke took to the sky and merged with the core.

A blue glow began to bathe the fallen zoid's form, pulsing with a rhythm not unlike that of a slow and steady heartbeat. Twisted rends in its armour gradually began to close, restoring the wolf until it looked like the day it just stepped off a production line. White armour that gleamed in the bright sun was marked with black accents, a now permanent reminder that it had been Shadow's energy that had woken the zoid from its dormancy just a day prior. Standing tall once again Zeke shook itself vigorously and howled in delight. Lowering its head the zoid gave Kai the same inviting growl it had offered yesterday as it opened the cockpit. The boy all but danced on the spot, eagerly leaping into the seat and fastened the harness.

A grin crept across Van's face as he witnessed his child's pure joy of a dream finally realised, leading the wolf off into the desert for a long overdue run. With a storm brewing on the horizon, he was going to take in any and every positive moment that came his way. He had a feeling he would need the memories sooner rather than later...

* * *

Several thousand feet in the air a tremor ran through the hammerhead as it passed through a pocket of turbulence, causing the Commander to open his eyes from the light nap he had been having. It had been strange and a little disconcerting, images of whatever that girl had inadvertently shown him had begun to bleed through into his dream. He wondered if it was a temporary thing or something more permanent before shrugging the ponderous thoughts aside for the time being. It was time to get to work.

Staring vacantly up at the ceiling, his thumb reached behind the thick buckle of his belt and palmed a small, flexible length of wire. The corporal beside him leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees while idly gazing at the cuffs around her wrists. The short chain that connected her shackles swayed a little, then she abruptly pulled it taught for a few seconds before relaxing her wrists. She did it over and over again, until the guard assigned to them had finally had enough of the ever increasing irritation.

"You're not gonna break them, lady, so just give it a rest," he snapped.

The corporal simply ignored him.

With a grumble the guard got up from his seat and marched over. "I said knock it off."

When he was within striking distance the Corporal leaned back to allow the Commander to surge forward, his left wrist free and seized the guard's rifle as he drove the man's head back against the bulkhead with his right hand. There was a dull thud as it connected, the force enough to knock the guard unconscious. Quickly he patted the guard down and located the keys to their cuffs, freeing himself and passing it to his second in command and picked up the rifle. Cautiously they made their way through the hammerhead, dispatching of the remaining Republic troops that had been sent; eight men in total, nine if he included the pilot. While admittedly capture hadn't been part of the original operation, they knew how to make the best of it as he quickly figured out the zoid's communication system and sent an encrypted signal.

It wasn't long before something knocked one of the stormsworders out of the sky, causing confusion in the remaining three pilots as the zoid began to plummet. A second met the same fate as they began to break off from their escort for evasive manoeuvres. Their attackers where smaller and faster, the Commander smiling to himself as the blue and silver of a shot eagle streaked past the hammerhead to neutralise a third stormsworder as its parter took out the last of the Republic's entourage. The pair of zoids then levelled out and flanked the hammerhead, slowing down to match its speed. The Commander shook his head; if this was the sort of opposition they faced from the rank and file, then it wouldn't take much to dismantle their army as a whole.

"Reid, take us home," the Commander ordered while stepping aside and allowing the Corporal to take the pilot's seat. "Patel, find and disable any GPS they have."

"What should we do with the Republicans, Sir?"

The Commander thought for a moment before turning to his two remaining soldiers, Nico and Hamul. "We'll throw them in the brig for now and the higher ups can decide what to do with them when we get back to base."

With his two remaining subordinates in tow they soon had the captors-come-prisoners securely locked in their own brig, leaving Hamul to watch over them. With that matter dealt with, another came to his attention as his stomach rumbled loudly, reminding him that none of them had eaten since they had departed for their mission. Searching the hammerhead he discovered a compact galley that was decently stocked. Handing over a few protein bars he instructed Nico to return to the brig and split them with Hamul then took some more and headed back to the cockpit. After making sure his crew got a decent share he finally bit into his own. While it wouldn't substitute a proper meal, it would hold them over until they made it back.

Sitting down the Commander rubbed his temples, and not for the first time cursed himself for the loss of his lidier. The zoid had been his companion ever since he had been promoted to an officer, and it was by far the best partner he ever could have wished for. Now it lay in the bottom of a decrepit old ruin waiting for the Republic to drag it out. While they may glean some knowledge by studying its frame, the minute they tried to tamper with the more delicate systems or its core the lidier would self destruct, taking Zenebas' engineering secrets with it. The thought made him heartsick; Lidier deserved far better, and he had no-one but himself to blame for letting his ego get in the way. It wouldn't be a mistake he'd make again.

It was almost evening by the time they touched down at an outpost just behind Zenebas' borders. A squad of armed soldiers greeted them to take custody of their prisoners, marching up the ramp as the Commander and his crew passed them and headed toward the mobile command centre. The main component of the building had been built on the sturdy base of a gustav's transport trailer with lightweight steel walls expanding outward to increase its size to accommodate the personnel working inside. He casually saluted two guards as he passed and climbed up a short ramp, an automatic door quietly hissing open as it sensed his approach. Inside there were several people; three corporals were sitting in front of monitors on the far side of the room, staring at the screens intently as their nimble fingers danced over the compact keyboards. The centre's only other occupants were two men who stood on the opposite side of a large, backlit table which had a detailed map of the continent on its surface with several markers highlighting locations of varying importance.

The Commander and his small unit stood at attention and waited to be addressed. The older of the pair was a colonel, a silver lapel in the shape of a lion pinned neatly to his collar the only indicator of his rank. When he was finally done assessing the routes, strategies and locations with his lieutenant, the colonel dismissed his subordinate and looked across the tactical display, his mood unreadable underneath his stoic expression.

"Commander Barrett," he stated evenly, and subconsciously the Commander stood even straighter than he already was. "Report."

"After intel told us that there were no significant defences, we proceeded into Wind Colony as ordered. Within the first minute of our attack we were confronted by a lone command wolf," the Commander replied.

"How did intelligence possibly miss something as obvious as a command wolf in the village?"

"It apparently had been dormant for decades and there was no reason to believe it was in any way operational. Local legend says it had shut down after its pilot ultimately died when he got desperate enough to activate the zoid's Ragnarok Fang ability while defending the colony against an overwhelming force."

The Colonel grunted, grudgingly accepting the explanation for the wolf's appearance, but not its ability. "Explain to me how a Republic zoid that has to be at least fifty years old could dispatch the majority of your unit so quickly? It shouldn't be at all possible."

"It was stronger than we had anticipated, having combined with an organoid partner," he admitted reluctantly. "The same organoid that was spotted fleeing from battle with the genobreaker several nights a go."

"How do you know this?"

"I spoke to the pilot of the command wolf. It appears the reason the organoid had left was to get Raven's child away from the fight."

"You're telling me that not only were you beaten by an obsolete zoid, but you were also _beaten by a child_?"

It had been embarrassing to discover just how young their opponent had been when he had opened the link, but it sounded even worse when said out loud. "With all due respect, Sir, this is _Raven's_ child we're talking about. From what we know of both his history and that of the Zoidian, Reece, it would make sense that this girl would have been taught to pilot a zoid from a very early age. Not just any zoid either, but something that is -for all intents and purposes- the evolved progeny of a deathsaurer."

"That is far from an excuse, Commander," the grizzled Colonel growled. "What happened next?"

"I engaged in battle with the command wolf, decommissioning it in short order until Flyheight arrived and intervened. We exchanged a few blows, but couldn't get an advantage each other. Without warning Flyheight then abruptly turned tail and ran into the desert." Barrett hesitated for a moment, but the expectant glare from his superior discouraged any idea of procrastinating further. "I became overconfident and allowed myself to be led into a disadvantage of some old ruins and was ambushed. I… I lost Lidier, Sir." A thick and awkward silence descended on the command centre as the Colonel simply stared at Barrett, who gazed steadily at a spot on the wall just to the left of his head.

"Do you have anything else to report?" the Colonel asked tightly.

"I believe the girl will be out to try and hit our closest unit near Wind Colony," he answered. "She and the organoid had managed to sneak into where they were holding us. We had words before she suddenly grabbed my arm and... something happened." His brow furrowed as he paused while trying to put the experience into words. "I think it was some form of tactile telepathy, but the link seemed to work both ways. I doubt she's aware of its dual nature yet, or otherwise I wouldn't have experienced seeing what I can only guess are her own recent memories. It would probably be safe to say that the ability has only recently manifested itself."

Disgruntled as he was, the Colonel could see where Barrett's line of thought was going. If this child was anywhere near as skilled as her father, then the quicker they contained her the better their campaign would fare. Now that they had a good idea of where she was headed then the Zenebas forces could be better prepared.

"Normally I'd bust you so far down you'd be scrubbing latrines for the next six months. Instead I've decided to give you a chance at redemption," the Colonel said, his eyes boring into the Commander's as he thrust a finger in his direction. "But if you screw this up, and you won't have a career left to speak of. Clear?"

"Crystal, Sir."

"Report for your new assignment at oh-six-hundred tomorrow," he stated. "You're all dismissed."

The five soldiers crisply snapped off a final salute and wasted no time dawdling. As the small group dispersed Barrett took in a deep breath if the cooling desert air as the last rays of light disappeared below the horizon. Even with the ability of flight, it would still take his new quarry a couple of days to reach their destination at the very least. Would the pair find a zoid in the mean time, or would they try and take them head on and hijack one of their own in the process? He headed toward the mess tent, his mind already concocting plans. His arrogance had cost him a lot in the past twenty four hours, but he'd be damned if he let it happen again…

* * *

 _Gasp! Words! Updates! Excessive use of exclamation marks! All that fun stuff!_

 _Between real life issues, writer's block and general lethargy when it comes to writing, I let this slip off the radar longer than I probably should have. But hopefully this and the Zoids OST I managed to track down will help kick start some life into it. Also feedback. Feedback would be great too :)_


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